N4-G-093
Noun + や + Noun (+ など) (N1, N2, etc.)
Supporting / Non-Exhaustive Listing
👀 Layer A: Visual Guide
📝 Quick Summary
This grammar pattern uses particle や (ya) between nouns to list examples non-exhaustively (“such as A and B”, “A, B, etc.”). Adding など (nado) after the final noun emphasizes that there are other unmentioned items in the same group.
Structure: [Noun 1] + や + [Noun 2] (+ など)
Example 1: すーぱーで りんごや みかんなどを かいました (I bought apples, oranges, etc., at the supermarket).
Example 2: つくえの うえに ほんや ぺんなどが あります (There are books, pens, etc., on top of the desk).
🔍 Layer B: Deepening
💡 Raya’s Hack
〜と vs. 〜や…など!
Distinguish between complete and incomplete lists:
– 〜と (Exhaustive): りんご と みかん を 買いました (I bought an apple and an orange — EXACTLY and ONLY those two items).
– 〜や…など (Non-Exhaustive): りんご や みかん など を 買いました (I bought apples, oranges, etc. — Just two samples out of a larger grocery trip).
Never pair と directly with など (*ringo to mikan nado* is incorrect)! Always use や when giving sample examples.
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
Scene: Joy wants to tell Ken that he bought apples, oranges, and other fruits at the market.
Joy: 「すーぱーで りんごと みかんなどを かいました。」
(Suupaa de ringo to mikan nado o kaimashita.)
❌ Used “と” instead of “や” with “など”!
Why?
Joy paired particle to with nado. Particle to indicates an exhaustive (complete) list, which contradicts nado (“etc.”). To show that you are listing non-exhaustive examples, replace to with や (ya).
Correct: 「すーぱーで りんごや みかんなどを かいました。」 (I bought apples, oranges, etc., at the supermarket.)
🔥 Layer C: Retrieval Practice Loop
Retrieve and apply! Express non-exhaustive listings with Nouns. (Hiragana and English only)
Level 1: Structure Building (Noun 1 + や + Noun 2 + など)
Q1. Apples, oranges, etc. (りんご / みかん)
Q2. Books, pens, etc. (ほん / ぺん)
Q3. Shirts, shoes, etc. (しゃつ / くつ)
Q4. Meat, fish, etc. (にく / さかな)
Q5. Coffee, tea, etc. (こーひー / おちゃ)
Level 2: Full Sentences
Q6. I bought apples, oranges, etc. at the supermarket. (すーぱーで / りんごや みかんなど / かいました)
Q7. There are books, pens, etc. on top of the desk. (つくえの うえに / ほんや ぺんなど / あります)
Q8. I bought shirts, shoes, etc. at the department store. (でぱーとで / しゃつや くつなど / かいました)
Q9. I eat meat, fish, etc. every day. (まいにち / にくや さかななど / たべます)
Q10. There are coffee, tea, etc. in the shop. (おみせに / こーひーや おちゃなど / あります)
